1. family and parenting
2. children

Editor’s Corner
Editorial Staff
for The Journal of Reading Recovery
Editor-in-Chief
Connie Briggs, Texas Woman’s University
Connie Briggs, Editor-in-Chief
Teaching Section Editor
Elizabeth Kaye, Fort Worth ISD
Implementation Section Editor
Patricia Scharer, The Ohio State University
Research Section Editor
Mary Lose, Oakland University
RRCNA Section Editor
Marsha Studebaker, Reading Recovery
Council of North America
Editorial Review Board
Billie Askew, Texas Woman’s University
C.C. Bates, Clemson University
Janet Behrend, University of Arkansas
at Little Rock
Janet Bufalino, Shippensburg University
of Pennsylvania
Catherine Compton-Lilly, University of
Wisconsin at Madison
Diane DeFord, University of South Carolina
Linda Dorn, University of Arkansas
at Little Rock
Mary Anne Doyle, University of Connecticut
Sue Duncan, Georgia State University
The celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Reading Recovery
continues with this issue of The Journal of Reading Recovery. Any
30th anniversary is noteworthy, but for an educational innovation
to withstand the changing winds of politics, educational pendulum
swings, and economic challenges over 30 years is exceptional. In
celebrating 30 years of Reading Recovery, we especially recognize
that 2 million-plus children have received successful literacy interventions that put them
on a trajectory to becoming literate. I think it is fitting that we also celebrate the legacy of
Dame Marie Clay. Through her pioneering research, vision, and collaborative spirit, she
led and inspired the work of others that literally changed the landscape of literacy—not
only in the United States—but across the world.
As with any celebration there is usually a bit of nostalgia and reflection of the past
paired with excitement and hope for the future. Joy Cowley helped us celebrate at the
2015 National Conference by presenting a keynote address and writing a book just for
Conference attendees. In an excerpt from her speech she shares how memories of
childhood can be an asset to an author and that entertainment, child-centered content,
and magic are the things that lay the foundation of literacy learning for young readers.
Her clever books have delighted children around the world, giving them a good start
toward literate lives. Her article is both nostalgic and hopeful.
Judy Embry, University of Kentucky
Salli Forbes, University of Northern Iowa
Susan King Fullerton, Clemson University
Barbara Honchell, University of North
Carolina Wilmington
Noel Jones, University of North Carolina
Wilmington
Patricia Kelly, San Diego State University
Gayla Kolb, Lebanon R-III School District
Allyson Matczuk, Canadian Institute of
Reading Recovery Western Division
Heather Janes Pedersen, Canadian Institute of
Reading Recovery Atlantic Division
Mary Ann Poparad, National Louis
University
Robert Schwartz, Oakland University
Anne Simpson, Texas Woman’s University
Janice Van Dyke, Canadian Institute of
Reading Recovery Central Division
Garreth Zalud, University of South Dakota
In interviews with Carol Lyons, Gay Su Pinnell, and Diane Deford, Pat Scharer provides
a glimpse into the early years of Reading Recovery implementation in Ohio. We can
celebrate these women for their pioneering efforts in bringing Reading Recovery to the
United States and their subsequent contributions to literacy teaching and learning.
The foundation of our work in Reading Recovery is based upon Clay’s view of literacy
as a complex theory. In this issue, Mary Anne Doyle has written a beautifully crafted
primer of Clay’s theory of literacy processing that encapsulates the essence of our work
with students who struggle to learn to read and write. I know this article will become
a standard to share with anyone interested in early literacy acquisition. An additional
research-to-practice article by Bob Schwartz provides an explanation of the complexity
of word recognition learning based on cognitive research. This article provides new
ways of thinking about why we teach for multiple sources of information in the service
of meaning.
What we have learned from Reading Recovery contributes to teacher expertise in the
service of all children. Two articles included in this issue discuss the contribution of
Clay’s work in broader settings. Gay Su Pinnell and Irene Fountas share the ways in
which Reading Recovery has influenced guided reading instruction in classrooms, and
Salli Forbes and Linda Dorn discuss key concepts that support opportunities for children
to read and write with small-group teaching.
2 Journal of Reading Recovery Spring 2015
Reading Recovery Council of North
America, Board of Directors 2014–2015
Reading Recovery can level the playing field for the lowest children in first grade, but
it is the combined efforts of everyone involved in the children’s lives that help them
continue to progress as literate individuals. A trio of articles focuses on ways to extend
reading opportunities for children through summer reading programs. Richard Allington
advocates for summer reading programs to help close the achievement gap for low-income
children. C.C. Bates and Maryann McBride share their success with a summer reading
program and provide advice that will help readers implement similar programs. In a third
article, Allison Briceño and Descubriendo la Lectura colleagues across the nation also
stress the importance of summer reading and share ways of making home-school partnership connections to support accelerated student learning. The spirit of collaboration can
be celebrated in the partnerships forged around the common mission to ensure literacy for
all children.
In the annual IDEC summary report, Jerry D’Agostino and Sinéad Harmey share that
during the 2013–2014 implementation year, students posted the strongest outcomes
experienced since data collection began in the U.S. Reading Recovery student data
closed the achievement gap with the average random sample students, and the average
discontinued DLL students surpassed the average of the random sample.
We have so much to celebrate! Through Marie Clay’s visionary work we are joined as an
educational community of learners, researchers, and teachers who make a difference in the
world. We celebrate passionate Reading Recovery professionals who engage in the work
of learning and teaching in behalf of children. And we celebrate the children whose lives
have been changed because of those teachers.
A special thank you from the JRR editorial team
RRCNA Director of Communications Marsha Studebaker will retire at
the end of June. Marsha has been a guide, an advisor, an effective
communicator, and a passionate advocate for Reading Recovery for 15 years.
Her integrity, wisdom, and grace have been true gifts to the people who have
been privileged to work with her. Congratulations on your well-deserved
retirement, Marsha!
President
Janet Behrend, University of Arkansas at
Little Rock, Little Rock, AR
President-Elect
Craig Dougherty, Sheridan County School
District #2, Sheridan, WY
Vice President
Lindy Harmon, University of Kentucky,
Lexington KY
Past President
Patricia Scharer, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, OH
Treasurer
Robert Schwartz, Oakland University,
Rochester, MI
Secretary
Suzanne DeWeese, Emporia State University,
Emporia, KS
Cheryl Achterberg, The Ohio State
University, Columbus, OH
Paula Bennet, University of Northern Iowa,
Cedar Falls, IA
Karin Cecere, National Louis University,
Lisle, IL
Nancy Chartier, Green Bay Area Public
Schools, Green Bay, WI
Kellie Ehlers, Evening Street Elementary
School, Worthington, OH
Tee Fiero, Northside Elementary School,
Midway, KY
Salli Forbes, University of Northern Iowa,
Cedar Falls, IA
Irene Huggins, Manitoba First Nations ERC,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Mary Jackson, Houston, TX
Karen James, Little Rock School District,
Little Rock, AR
Peter Johnston, University at Albany-SUNY,
Albany, NY
Laurie Levin, Levin & Associates,
Philadelphia, PA
Mary Lose, Oakland University, Rochester
MI
Maryann McBride, Clemson University,
Clemson, SC
Gay Su Pinnell, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, OH
Mary Ann Poparad, National Louis
University, Lisle, IL
Karen Scott, Ozark School District,
Ozark, MO
Anne Simpson, Texas Woman’s University,
Denton, TX
Janice Van Dyke, Canadian Institute of
Reading Recovery Central Division,
Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Dwight C. Watson, University of Northern
Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Jeffery Williams, Solon City Schools,
Solon, OH
Spring 2015 Journal of Reading Recovery 3